Arsha Vidya Center

There is Nothing Indeed as Purifying as Knowledge

Author: Chaula Joshi

  • Swami Paramatmananda Talks, June 2019

    Respected Swamiji, shri Vijayji and fellow students,
    Swami Parmatmanandaji does not need any special introduction , after wonderful week we have spent.
    I hear all the time that we may have collected lots of punya to be here together to come to vedanta. After listening to your week long upadesha and Atmavicara I do believe, we are .
    I and my fellow student bandhus are extremely blessed listen to you.Your depth of vedant sastra knowledge and clarity is Marveleous. Your sahaj and simple impromptu jokes brings humor but conveyed a very precise and clear message to all of us. On behalf of Arsh Vidya Centre and from all of us we owe you a debt of gratitude for all that you have done to teach us your wisdom of self knowledge.
    Swamiji, I feel very blessed to work with you and feeling your abundance energy to work in AVC/ to arrange this type of discourses and retreat. I know with your many many big projects and Hindu Acharya sabha work you have very busy schedule. In spite of your work, you had agreed to come here and teach us the Self knowledge. I and entire AVC is seeking your blessings that we make progress in our daily life and keep working on Shravanam, Mananam and Nidhidhyasanam.
    Our commitment should be constantly thinking of making contribution to the society and be aware of situations, people analyze every experience , learn and grow in our emotional maturity .
    Your example of Ishta-purta Karma with nishkama bhava, and Ishwara Arpan buddhi is so important, hope after listening to you we can make progress. With your permission I would like to remind each of us your quotes ; 1) “experiences can not make you wiser but learning from that is wise “
    1. “speech should be your finish product not raw material” are so true.
    2. When your expectations does not meet , then make a box bigger.
    I seek blessings from you that I can bring in my life a prayerful mind, tadatmya bhava and make cognitive change.
    We are very fortunate that we have Shri Vijay Kapoorji who dedicated his time teaching 3 classes a year for number of years. We can not thank him or express my feelings with any kind of words. All I can say to all of us to make time to learn from live teacher like Vijayji and attend all visiting Acharyas to grow in our spiritual path. There is no better value then learning live from teachers.
    Again Thank you swamiji for your time and your wisdom that you have shared with us.
    Chaula Joshi

  • Swamini Svatmavidyananda Talks, Jan 2019

    Closing remarks at Vedanta Dindimah Talks, Jan 2019,

    by Chaula Joshi

    Respected Swaminiji, Shri Vijayji and all fellow students, my name is Chaula Joshi and I have been a student of Vedanta from a Arsh Vidya gurukulam parmpara, learning Vedanta for a number of years, participating in the regular classes with Shri Vijay Kapoorji.

    Swamini Svatmavidyanandaji is a disciple of Pujya Sri Swami Dayananda Saraswatiji, who was an internationally renowned master and traditional teacher of Vedanta. I am extremely blessed to be sitting in front of You Swaminiji and listen to these 2 days very short but precise message of Vedanta Dindimah. On behalf of Arsh Vidya Centre and from all of us we owe you a debt of gratitude for all that you have done to teach us your wisdom of self knowledge. Your simplicity of examples, explaining why we should learn Vedanta, and the importance of attaining the goal of Moksha has been marvelous. Your explanation of what is Vedanta ? and what is students nishtha ? To become adhikari we have to cultivate Shraddha in to Śaštra and guru . Get clarity and understanding cognize from Shravanam. Your explanation on background given to us on above topic and The background of author Shankara from Shringeri math wrote these powerful 94 verses and importance of Vedanta Dindimah is very useful.

    A student, who has to qualify himself by asking who am I? I am unhappy, I am bhogi , these wrong notions has to be dropped. Cultivate in to total Shraddha towards this teachings.  Thank you for bringing this morning meditation examples of relationship and how to see Ishwara in everything was discussed and at first it was not clear but by today I understood, if you reduce the expectation of others , automatically, it is easier to see Ishwara in everything.  by not expecting out of another person. It allows me to create this space and see oneness with Ishwara. By Mananam, I increase my awareness.

    Your sense of humor and making students engaged in the questions make the delivery of the knowledge and message were very interesting. Your explanation of self ignorance in existence and non existence is very clear. Objects, situations in Jagat is Niether existence or non existence , it is in-between and therefore it is Mithya is clearly understood. I seek my blessings from you Swaminiji and all of my Gurus to continue with my spiritual growth and keep nishkam bhavna and give my seva.

    Hari OM!

  • Swami Parmatmanandaji’s visit

    Respected Swamiji, shri Vijayji and all fellow students,

    Namaste, my name is Chaula Joshi and I have been a student of Vedanta for a number of years, participating in the regular classes with Shri Vijay Kapoor.

    I am extremely blessed to be sitting in front of You Swamiji and to listen to the week long courses. On behalf of Arsh Vidya Centre and from all of us we owe you a debt of gratitude for all that you have done to teach us your wisdom of self knowledge. Your simplicity of examples, explaining why we should learn Vedanta, and the importance of attaining the goal of Moksha has been marvelous.

    It was just a few months ago I had a talk with you and by Iswara krua and Gurukrupa your visit came to reality. No words can explain our emotions and we cannot thank you enough for your visit to California. With your simple and profound statements your teachings are very clear and now with your blessings we should adopt this knowledge.

    Your Mundka upanishad lectures describe the importance of the agnihotra ŸAGNAS. In modern society this may not seem possible, but one must do Sandhyavandana. You have stressed the importance of doing Seva Karma, which is for eg. Guru seva, Volunteering for the cause in organizations being akarta are essential for antahkaran shuddhi so that we become adhikari for knowledge to take place. 

    The teachings of higher values: Love yourself and respect yourself, will fall all the values of values into place. Your examples of how to remove the Panch kosha to see the self was straightforward and clear. Thank you Swamiji for teaching us your vision.

    On behalf of all the students here, I humbly request your presence next year and looking forward to your teachings.

    Chaula Joshi

     

  • Gurupurnima 2018 Gratitudes

    My Pranam to my Guru and all the Maha Acharyas to the Arsh Vidya Gurukulam. I take this day to great appreciation to all my Gurus.
    Vijayji, your dedication and determination of teaching us to analyze self , makes a huge difference in our lives.
    Unless, some of Gruhastha duty or sickness, I look forward to Tuesday and Saturday classes. What makes difficult for all of us is being , Gruhasta and in a Vyavaharik transection, is difficult to see the falseness of worldly things. How ever one can make tremendous progress by regular studies and assimilate in to daily life. I have strong shraddha towards śāstra and Rudram (prayer) to guide me through ups and downs of falsely world situation.
    The strong bonding ( Moha) towards children transformed in to unconditional love. Acceptance of the situation. Todays busy life makes their young blood to think differently and it is o.k.
    Most important thing in my life is to be a best company to myself. Learn to attach with detachment.
    Our Monday class discussions help us with this kind of situations and learn to deal with, because all of us class students are in the same boat and objectively we can guide being outsider.

    May Lord , Guru and Atma Krüpa be with me.
    May Lord keep you in a best of health, continue to enlighten us and continue guide us to study and analyze to go closer to our Atma. May I , not fear death and handle the situation differently and continue to make progress in my life.
    Seeking blessings from you.

    Hari OM, Chaula